harpersfallsfandomcom-20200214-history
Thunder Bay Chapter One
Chapter One It was a long drive from Quebec City, Quebec, and it was a longer drive going to their destination, but Jean-Luc Charbonneau was determined. He wanted to make a new life and a new start for his family. Until recently, he had been the Chef de Cuisine for the prominent Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, one of the most famous and most premier hotels in all of Canada, but the hotel's recently brought in new management had made him redundant. Yet, they awarded him, who had worked there for a long time, with a generous severance package. They had hired a new Chef de Cuisine who had absolutely NO idea on how to cook, let alone even know how to boil water! He couldn't even cook canned ravioli! The only reason he gained the job was because he was the nephew of one of the new higher-ups, and was done as a favor to his mother, the manager's sister. There had been some ugly talk about that, but management didn't budge, the nephew was the new Chef de Cuisine. Although, after the revelation that he couldn't even cook, let alone boil water, the management was forced to sack him, not to mention the manager who had insisted his nephew be hired in the first place. They then had to hire a NEW Chef de Cuisine, someone who KNEW what he was doing. He then decided, after a family conference, that he and his family would move to Thunder Bay, Ontario, which was in the Northwest part of the Province. He had always wanted to open his own restaurant, and the timing was perfect. His older son, Stefan, was driving their SUV, which gave him a break. His wife, Angelique, who was also a chef (they had met at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris where they were both studying) was sleeping in the passenger seat, and their teenage daughter, Sybille, was asleep as well. Stefan drove expertly, and knew what he was doing. Jean-Luc looked out the window he was near and saw the famous Terry Fox monument. Sybille, drained by the long trip, woke up. "Papa, is that the Terry Fox monument?" she asked. "Oui, ma Cherie," Jean-Luc said, "it means we're here." "Now all we have to do is find that hotel we're staying at," Stefan said, practically, "thankfully, I plugged in the address where it is into the GPS." "I was so glad we got that, Stefan," his father nodded, "you've proven your practicality." They pulled into the hotel's parking lot, and Stefan went in and checked in the family. Angelique was tired, but she woke up with a start. "Are we here, Jean?" she asked. "Yes, ma Cherie," Jean-Luc said, "Stefan has gotten us checked in." "Bien," Angelique said, "it's bed for me." "Oh, Mama," Sybille huffed, "but we've got so much to do." "Ca suffit, ma soeur," Stefan gently admonished his sister, "we know we have a lot to do. But we're here for a few weeks, until we find a place to live. We've got plenty of time to find a new home." "Mais, oui," Sybille said, "and a new school, for me." "We'll handle all that in good time," Jean-Luc said cheerfully, "we'll get some good sleep, and be refreshed in the morning." Meanwhile, in the Port Arthur (or the northern) section of Thunder Bay, in a far grander house than the hotel that the Charbonneaus were staying at, James Staunton was tired as well. He had just gotten back from a very contentious city council meeting down in Fort William. He gratefully took a drink from the tray that his maid had for him. His son, Christopher, was working late at his job. He worked as a crisis intervention worker in downtown Fort William (the southern section of the amalgamated city); while his teenaged daughter, Kimberly, was busy in her room painting her nails. He sat down and sighed. That meeting took a lot out of him. A huge Town Car came around the circular drive, and the chauffeur opened the door. Out she swept. The occupant walked up the flagstone steps and entered the house. The door slammed, and he winced, it was his wife, Constance, coming back from her country club, he presumed, and another night of drinking and gossiping with her snob friends. She was clearly drunk and was in full snobbish form. "Fifi," she yelled, clearly smelling of booze, "get my coat off and be quick about it!" The terrified maid came in and took Constance's coat. She swept off towards the den where James was. Constance was a complete snob, there was no other way about it. Her pedigree as a Salisbury, made her a part of one of Port Arthur's older families, almost on the same footing as the Stauntons, who had just as much power and as much history. Her family had been dead set against the amalgamation in 1970 which merged Port Arthur, Fort William and the nearby townships of Neebing and McIntyre into the new city of Thunder Bay. Their reasoning was that it would strip Port Arthur of its character. The Stauntons, however, approved of it, and their side won the day. However, despite the Salisburys ardent efforts, amalgamation went through, and it's worked well for many years. Since Port Arthur didn't have its own city hall, Fort William allowed its city hall to become the new city hall for the merged city. The Salisburys realized that amalgamation hadn't stripped Port Arthur's character, but clearly enhanced it. Constance, however, was still very much against it, and she and her snob friends would rail about it all the time. "Can you BELIEVE that cruddy Mrs. Jorgenson?" Constance sniffed, as James groaned inwardly, "She wants to have a huge fund-raiser for the refurbishment of the Terry Fox monument! I mean, can you believe that?! What a waste of good money that is! I just happen to think a full-blown debutante's ball would be FAR more appropriate. A cotillion would be much more perfect! Who wants to refurbish a monument to some kid who lost a leg, which is very unattractive anyway, and was trying to run across Canada raising money for Cancer?! Such a waste of time! A full-blown ball would be FAR more elegant, and more appropriate!" James sighed. He was used to his wife's selfish nature and her stuck-up attitude, but he didn't like it. It was one of her most unattractive traits, having been that way most of her life, thanks to her being spoiled. Constance Staunton was always used to getting her own way, no matter who got stomped on along the way. Her mother had been the same way, and that led to her father dropping dead of a heart attack from her continual nagging. Her mother had mellowed over the years, but Constance wasn't. "Well?" Constance sneered, glaring at her husband, "Do you think that monument shouldn't be refurbished?" "Yes, I really think it does, Constance," James said, reasonably, "you may not care about it, your highness, given how hot-shot you seem to think you and your noble friends are, but I don't think you quite realize just how much of a hero that young man was. Doing a cross-country marathon to raise money to cure his cancer wasn't just a lark for him, and for his cancer to recur while he was on that marathon was tragic. Especially since it happened here in Thunder Bay." Constance waved her heavily ringed hand, "Whatever," she said dismissively, "where's the children?" James bristled at the way his wife changed the subject and the way she said "children" as if they were another burden to her. It was clear that she was only in this marriage for money, she had always allowed the nannies to raise the children, although they turned out very well, in spite of her. "Christopher is at work," he said in an even voice, although it was clear that he was getting annoyed, "you know that. He has a three-day shift going down at the counseling center; and Kimberly is in her room painting her nails." "Oh," Constance said, realizing she was pushing her husband's buttons, and knowing he was reaching his boiling point, "all right. I am exhausted. I had dinner at the club, so I am not hungry. Have Celeste turn the bed down for me. I am going to bed right now. I'll have the cook send me breakfast in bed in the morning. And, James? could you be a doll and sleep in your dressing room tonight, I really need my space. I'd really appreciate it." James went over to the bar and poured himself another glass of gin as Constance glided off to bed. He could get really sick of his wife's snobbish nature. "Is everything all right, sir?" Celeste, the family's maid/housekeeper, came up to her boss. She sensed the tension between the two spouses. "No," James sighed, "but that is not for you to worry about. Mrs. Staunton wants her bed turned down, she's already up there." "I already had Amanda do that, a couple of hours ago," Celeste Finneran said, referring to another staff maid, "I knew it would be an early night for her." James smiled and nodded. "Good night, Celeste," he said kindly, "What would we do without you?" "I've been your housekeeper since your parents were alive, my dear sir," Celeste said kindly, "and I've known you since you were a boy, so I know what is going on. Good night." James smiled as Celeste bustled out of the room to take care of some other business. He was glad that she had remained as a part of the staff when he and Constance married. She didn't much like her either, but she tolerated her. Tomorrow, he would be busy anyway. A new French restaurant would be opening in downtown Port Arthur and he had to be there, as he was the head of the city's council, and as the senior councilman, he had a responsibility to be there to help open the place. Constance, of course, hadn't wanted to go, and made a total fuss about it. He put his foot down and ordered her to be there. She was furious because she wanted to go to the country club again and gossip with her friends, which she seemed to do almost every night. As it turned out, she had invited her friends to be there, so they could partake of the free food and champagne. Even Christopher had succeeded in getting time off from work to attend. His boss knew that he was devoted to the center, but it was totally 100% staffed and Christopher needed a time away. Kimberly wasn't too sure about it, but she was persuaded far easier than her mother. She happily agreed. The next evening, at the new L'Arc en Ciel restaurant, the opening was sensational. Champagne was sipped, and toasts were raised. The food was quite fantastic, and the atmosphere was homey. Everyone in the area had come, and the opening was a smashing success. Constance was sitting there with her snobby friends, swilling champagne and making a fool of herself as usual, sneering and gossiping about all the people there. They naturally took the biggest and best table and were doing what they did every night at the Country Club. However, Christopher and Jean-Luc's son, Stefan were talking over some Chicken Cordon Bleu , and were quickly becoming friends. The two were very practical and had a lot in common. It was revealed that Stefan had also worked in Crisis Management while in Quebec City. Both had open friendly faces and were compassionate as all get out. James got on very well with Jean-Luc and his wife, and he felt that his down-to-earth nature would bring some new blood to the area. Angelique's cooking of croquettes were delicious. Kimberly had just came in, dressed in full regalia, on the arm of her steady boyfriend, Malcolm Anderson. Constance was appalled and she tipped her head down, her eyes burning with fury. Malcolm wasn't a proper boy that her daughter should be dating. Malcolm was too liberal, too opinionated (and far from the proper Tory that she dreamed her daughter would marry) and was dressed from head to toe in leather, and had a huge mohawk. James smiled in amusement. He was in approval, because he knew Malcolm was a very nice guy under his intimidating outfit and hairstyle. He liked Malcolm, he thought he was smart, slick and was a good influence on Kimberly, who had been rather shy and felt she wasn't popular. However, Constance was always looking at outward appearances and whether it would affect her social standing. "Kimberly," Constance hissed, by this time, she was nearing being totally drunk, "what are you doing with THAT?" Kimberly glared at her mother, annoyed with her mother's appalling behavior, "I am with my boyfriend," she snapped, "and I will thank you to stop acting snobby for once in your life and treat him with some respect!" "You turned down a date with Troy Burrison," she seethed, referring to a more respectable boy who she felt was more appropriate, (who also happened to be the son of one of her snob squad friends) "and appeared here with that! I swear, you certainly know how to embarrass me!" Kimberly was scornful, "Me, embarrass you?" she spat, "how about you?! Sitting here like a total lush swilling champagne with your stuck-up friends, and nattering about everyone!" Just then, Angelique Charbonneau came up. She was a lovely woman with chestnut hair and beautiful green eyes. Her hair was tied into a ponytail as she was in the back cooking, but she heard Constance's raging. "Madame, what is wrong with that young man?" she asked, "I see nothing troubling about his attire, although it IS rather droll, and the mohawk? I have no problems with it." Constance sniffed, "You would say that, you plebian," she said acidly, "get away from this table! This is exclusive for us socialites! You're just a cook!" "My husband owns this place, madam," Angelique said icily, "and I will thank you to behave in a proper manner or I will ask you to leave!" "You little nothing," Constance snarled, "how dare that little piece of work talk to ME! The wife of a City Councilman!" "Thank you, Mrs. Charbonneau," Kimberly said, "I appreciate that." "My pleasure, Cherie," Angelique smiled, ignoring Constance's insulting tone, "you must be Kimberly Staunton." "Yes, I am," Kimberly smiled, "my dad is a city councilman here in town." "Well, that is absolutely delightful. My husband owns this restaurant," Angelique smiled, "I hope you and your family will come often." "I am sure we will. The food is quite delicious, I loved the Chicken Cordon Bleu, very well done. I do want to apologize for my mother's snide behavior, though," Kimberly said, "she's always thinking she's something else. Her breeding, you know." "I can understand that, Kim," Angelique said. "Her name is KIMBERLY," Constance snapped, from her table, "and you will do well to remember THAT!" "Mother!" Kimberly warned, "Behave yourself this instant! You're acting like a child! You talk about ME embarrassing you?! YOU are the one who is acting embarrassing!" "That stupid woman needs to know her place," Constance sneered to her friends, ignoring Kimberly's pointed glare, "who the hell does she think she is?! She'll never get noticed in this town!" One of her friends, Mrs. Lancaster, nodded, "She's not a part of this social circle," she said nastily, 'she's an OUTSIDER! Not to mention that we don't tolerate French here!" Kimberly was appalled at her mother's snide remarks and her friends' ready agreement to them. "Why that nasty....!" Kimberly said. "Non, non," Angelique said calmly and gently to the furious Kimberly, "elle est ta mere, Cherie, whatever else that stuck up old cow may be. Don't let her get to you, sweetheart. I know she is behaving most dreadfully, but she will get hers. I promise you that." "She has no right to say that about you," Kimberly said, tears falling down her face, "she just doesn't." "That is true, ma petite," Angelique said, "but don't you worry. She will dig her own grave by her behavior. Does she drink like that often?" "Every night it seems," Kimberly said, "she goes to the country club all the time with those same busybodies and they booze and gossip!" James came up and saw Kimberly in tears. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" he asked. "Mother!" Kimberly said, "All she and her snob friends are doing is busy making fun of everyone around here. She insulted Mrs. Charbonneau here." "I am very sorry for my wife's disgusting behavior," James said sincerely, "and thank you for comforting Kimberly." "It is my pleasure, Monsieur Staunton," Angelique said, "to me it seems like she doesn't care anything about her in the first place." "Constance was never a decent mother. She had always had the children brought up by nannies," James said, "and it really angered me. I had more hands-on experience with them than their mother did. I see Christopher and your Stefan are getting on very well." "Yes, they are," Angelique smiled, "they look like they are on the road to being best friends. What about you, darling?" she looked at Kimberly, "do you have any friends here?" Kimberly looked ashamed, "I am here with Malcolm," she said, "Mother hates him." "Well," James said, "I like him! He knows what he wants!" Kimberly smiled, "Thank you, Daddy," she said. Constance saw her husband talking to Angelique and Kimberly, and she was furious. She stormed over. "What the hell are you doing?" she hissed. "I'd like to ask YOU the same thing, Constance," James snapped. "Talking to that nothing, and treating that piece of trash Kimberly dragged in as if he was somebody!" Constance sniffed, "Don't you care a THING about our image in this city?!" "I am more than a bit concerned about how YOUR behavior is tarnishing our family's image," James snapped, "you sitting there like you think you own the place, guzzling champagne and sneering down your nose at everyone else, with your clique of snobby friends making fun of everyone. You're just mad because Mrs. Jorgenson came up with a decent idea of cleaning and refurbishing the Terry Fox monument. All you want is a snobby stuck-up ball for the privileged few!" "Your husband is right," Angelique said softly, but coldly, "and the way you sat there and insulted your daughter's boyfriend is appalling!" "Well!" Constance sniffed, "SOMEONE in this family has to be concerned about our image! You're a councilman, who got on the council, thanks to MY family's connections!" James bristled at that, easily seeing through the lie, "That is not true," he snapped, "and you know it! My family is just as powerful as yours. I got on the city council on my own merits, your family didn't do a damn thing, and you damn well know that, Constance! And you wanted the Staunton name, because it would lift YOUR name in many ways. The way you treat the kids is awful!" Angelique took Kimberly's arm, "Come along, ma Cherie," she said kindly, "and meet my daughter, Sybille." Sybille was sitting at a table with some other people, who were very kind. "Ah, Mama," Sybille smiled, "who is this?" "My name is Kimberly Staunton," she said. "Ah, bonne. Je m'appelle Sybille Charbonneau," Sybille said, in perfect fluent French, "nice to meet you, darling." "I think we're going to get along well," Kimberly smiled. "I agree, Kim," Sybille smiled. Constance was getting furious, "How DARE she!" she spat, "OUR daughter is fraternizing with the lowly daughter of that restauranteur!" "That's enough, Constance," James erupted, finally sick and tired of his wife's cold-hearted snobbishness. "What do you mean?" Constance sniffed. She was stunned at James's forceful tone. "Our Kimberly has the right to have any friends she wants," he said angrily, "Christopher and Stefan are getting along beautifully, and I think Jean-Luc Charbonneau and his wife are going to make a WONDERFUL impression on this community. I am sick of you sneering down your nose at everyone else, and thinking you're the only person who matters about anything! Lest you forget, the Staunton name is just as much as a name to be reckoned with in this city as the Salisburys!" "My family could buy and sell the town of Selkirk, Manitoba," Constance sneered. One of the other snob squad members, a Mrs. Langevin, looked at Constance, "I tried some of the cuisine," she said, "and Mr. Charbonneau did a lovely job. The filet mignon was absolutely divine. It's very delicious." Even Mrs. Lancaster looked at the cuisine, "It is well done," she conceded, "Constance, I think they WILL become a very nice addition to Thunder Bay!" Constance was appalled, "Traitors!" she snapped, "The whole lot of you! I thought we could snob the bunch of this party and ruin it! But NO! I just found out who my true friends really are!" "Oh come off it, Constance," Mrs. Lancaster said, "you really have no call to be so rude! We've tolerated it enough, we're tolerating it no more!" "I am going home!" Constance shrieked in a drunken rage, "and I am not even going to allow you to come in!" "Don't be so sure of that," James said, "I've called you a cab, and it will be YOU who will be out of the house!" "Damn you, James Staunton," Constance screamed, "how dare you throw me out of my own house!" "It's MY house," James raged, "It was my parents home before YOU ever set foot in it! So, I would not be saying anything about it! I've already notified the staff to get your things packed and out in the foyer. I knew you were going to make a spectacle of yourself, and it just proved my point about you. You're a liability, Constance, and I am no longer taking any of your snobby behavior! You're out of the house as of right now!" James grabbed his coat, Christopher and Kimberly walked right past her, looking through her. Sybille and Stefan went with their new friends, as did Jean-Luc. Angelique gave Constance a stern look as her friends left the table and walked out as did everyone else. "You just lost everything, Madame," Angelique said archly, "and you can't blame anyone else for it, but yourself!" Angelique then joined her husband as the party went to the Staunton home and continued their celebration. Constance looked at the empty room, and she grabbed a champagne bottle and threw it across the room where it smashed. She then went on a tear and ruined the entire room. She smashed the settings and everything. A camera flashed, and Constance was STUNNED! The next morning, the city's newspaper, the Chronicle-Journal, had on page one, a picture of Constance Staunton, the wife of a councilman, smashing up a party room at a hotel, because she had been rejected. The next morning, Kimberly and Sybille had met up at the bus stop. Two days after they arrived, the Charbonneaus had found a lovely home next door to the Stauntons. Constance fought being thrown out, and had her mother intervene against her better judgment. She had attended the party when it was relocated to the house, and she had a pleasant time. She was allowed to stay, but the spouses were not speaking. Constance kept herself to her room. The new lady of the house was Kimberly announced by Mrs. Salisbury. She was pleased when she saw Sybille move into the house next door. Constance was disgusted. Bad enough that the Charbonneaus were tied into their family, but now they have to live NEXT DOOR?! She slammed the closet door so hard the house rattled. James stormed up to Constance's boudoir, "Will you STOP being so petulant, Constance?!" he said angrily, "I am tired of you slamming doors. The Charbonneaus are here to stay and you're just going to HAVE to get used to it!" "Never!" She snapped, "I'll NEVER get used to that family next door to us! DO you hear me, James Staunton?! NEVER!!!" "Your mother may have stated that I have you stay here," James said harshly, "but you are only here as a guest! Remember that! ONLY a guest! And I am warning you one last time, you either keep to yourself, or there will be a lot of trouble!" James stormed out, and Constance flung herself on her bed. She started sobbing, because all her dreams and hopes were being ignored. She wanted to remain with her mother, and thanks to her intervention (meddling), she was staying in her house. At Port Arthur High, Sybille and Kimberly went into their first class. Snobbish Laura Garcey looked down on them. "I see you're slumming again, are we, Kimberly Staunton?" Laura said nastily. "Not that it's any of your business, Garcey," Kimberly said hotly, "but Sybille's father is a successful restauranteur here in town. The food is rather divine." "What about your mother making a fool of herself last night?" Laura said, "EVERYONE saw it." "It only reflected against her," Sybille defended Kimberly, "the room was empty except for her." "Whatever," Laura said, and went back to looking at her phone. Sybille shook her head, "She's quite a snob, isn't she?" she said to Kimberly. Kimberly nodded, "Her family thinks they are super wealthy," she said, "actually, all her mother does is model clothes in Toronto, and she isn't around all the time. Her father works for the communications company here in Thunder Bay and he's only a very low-level executive. They've been putting on airs since I can remember. And I've known her since we were in Kindergarten." "I've had my share of pseudo-snobs as well," Sybille said, "a girl I knew named Gretchen, came swanning around in a silk dress for school. Then she went over to the Chateau Frontenac, where my dad used to work and proceeded to make a fool of herself. She slung herself across a table and had sex with her boyfriend!" Kimberly was horrified, "Did your dad stop them?" Sybille nodded, "Oh, yes he did," she smiled, "he called security and had them thrown out of the hotel and ordered NEVER to come back. When she went to school, everyone knew about it, and they were merciless to her!" "Rumor has it that Laura Garcey spends most of her time at the Sleeping Giant," a girl named Louise came up to Kimberly and Sybille. "Hi, Louise," Kimberly smiled, "please meet my new friend, Sybille Charbonneau. Syb, this is Louise Ansley." "Very nice to meet you, Louise," Sybille smiled. "And the same to you," Louise returned the smile, "I heard your dad's restaurant is really popular." "Yes, it is," Kimberly said, proud of her friend's father, "despite my mother's deplorable behavior." "I heard," Louise said, "and Laura Garcey has been shooting off her mouth about it." "I have no liking for Laura Garcey," Sybille said, "We just had a run-in with her, and she is very unpleasant." In fact, some hours later, Laura was headed on the Intercity bus headed towards the Sibley Peninsula, known more locally as the Sleeping Giant, because of the shape, which looked like a huge man sleeping on the lake, and she saw the person she was waiting for. A young man named Owen Schneider was waiting for her. They went into the deeply wooded and forested dunes, and had sex. However, what Laura did not know was that she was messing around with a cop! She was immediately busted for prostitution, and was held in lockup for a while. Her father was dragged out of a meeting, and he had been appalled by his daughter's cheap behavior. Her mother was just as furious. They grounded Laura swiftly and banned her from going anywhere except school. Also, the judge ordered her to stay away from the Sleeping Giant for the rest of her life! Category:Thunder Bay Episodes